Can a DNA Test Determine Jewish Status?

According to Jewish law, tribal affiliation (including whether one is a kohen) follows the direct paternal line, while the question of Jewishness follows the maternal line. Does this mean that genetic testing is a valid way of ascertaining whether one is Jewish or a kohen?

First, some basics. Females have XX chromosomes and males have XY. All females carry one X chromosome from their mother and one X chromosome from their father. Males, on the other hand, get their X chromosome from their mother and their Y chromosome from father. Since these chromosomes are passed from one generation to the next, it is theoretically possible to identify one’s ancestors through genetic testing.

Jewish Ancestry and Mitochondrial DNA

As mentioned, Jewish identity follows the maternal line. If your mother is Jewish, you’re Jewish. However, there is no such thing as a “Jewish gene,” so genetic testing cannot conclusively state whether a person is Jewish.

However, there does seem to be at least one way in which genetics may be used to help determine a person's Jewishness. This involves using what is called mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA), which is passed exclusively from the mother through the female line.

In a fascinating study published in 2006, it was shown that 40% of all Ashkenazi Jews are descended from just four Jewish women who lived more than 1,000 years ago. The study concluded that if someone bears specific mitochondrial DNA markers, there is a 90-99% chance that he or she is descended from one of these Jewish women.1

Of course, there are the other 60% of Ashkenazi Jews who do not come from these four women, as well as Sephardic Jews and converts.

Nevertheless, although still a matter of debate, there are some who hold that in a case where there is some evidence of Jewishness but no iron-clad proof, having this marker in conjunction with other supporting evidence can be used to conclude that the person is indeed Jewish.2

(As a disclaimer, this article is for informational purposes only. All practical questions regarding one’s Jewish identity should be directed to a qualified rabbi.)

The Kohen Gene

We can now turn to the question of kohanim(Jewish priests).

All kohanim are directly descended—on their father's side—from Aaron the High Priest (Moses’ brother). Knowing that a copy of the Y chromosome is passed from father to son, Dr. Karl Skorecki, together with other colleagues, conducted a study in the 1990s to analyze and compare the Y chromosomes of kohanim with those of the non-kohen Jewish population.

In addition to the genes in the Y chromosome that determine if a person is male, the chromosome mostly consists of non-coding DNA, which tends to accumulate mutations. Based on the fact that the Y chromosome is passed down the paternal line without recombination, the genetic information on a Y chromosome of a man living today is basically the same as that of his ancient male ancestors, except for the rare mutations that occur along the hereditary line. A combination of these neutral mutations, known as a haplotype, can serve as a genetic signature of a man’s male ancestry.

Looking at six kinds of the YAP haplotype of the Y chromosome and comparing their frequency in kohanim and Jewish non-kohanim, Dr. Skorecki found that the majority of self-identified kohanim, both those of Sephardic as well as Ashkenazi descent, are all descended from the same person who lived roughly 3,000 years ago.

It should be noted that this marker was found in a much lower frequency among Jews who had no tradition of being kohanim, and in an even lower rate among non-Jews (although interestingly, it was found in a higher rate among the Lemba tribe in Africa, who have a tradition of being descendants of Jews).3

However, kohen status is dependent not only upon being the biological descendant of Aaron, but upon numerous other factors as well. For example, if a kohen marries a divorcée (or certain other women), their offspring would not be kohanim. So if one carries the genetic marker of kohanim, then perhaps he had a kohen in his ancestry, but he himself may not be a kohen or even Jewish, since that is dependent upon the mother.

Our sages tell us that when Moshiach comes, he will clarify our lineage and determine who in fact is a kohen, Levite or Israelite.4 May we merit the messianic era speedily in our time!

A noted scholar and researcher, Rabbi Yehuda Shurpin serves as content editor at Chabad.org, and writes the popular weekly Ask Rabbi Y column. Rabbi Shurpin is the rabbi of the Chabad Shul in St. Louis Park, Minn., where he resides with his wife, Ester, and their children.

Sefira Ross is a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.

It's population DNA. Only in the case of the Kohanim do we have specific genetic markers.
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RemyRiversideMarch 7, 2019

"Jewish DNA" raises only questions and no answers
Whose "Jewish DNA" are these DNAs of contemporary persons compared to? DNA of Jacob or Judah?
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ASUnited StatesMarch 7, 2019

in response to Remy:

It's being compared to Jews who lived around the world and people living in the Levant, especially the Samaritans, who are basically unmixed descendants of northern Israelites.

It's safe to say that shared Levantine ancestry among Jews from places as distant as Morocco, Poland, and Uzbekistan is historically Jewish. We obviously don't have DNA from any specific Biblical figures, but we do have 3700 year old Levantine DNA, and can use that a partial proxy for ancient Israelites.
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SamCanadaMarch 6, 2019

I am 27% Jewish and we know that my great grandparents (maternal) were forced to convert, so my grandmother was born from Jewish parents; But as far as I know there is no written evidence for that (except for a book that I found two years ago which explained what had happened).Also my mom is over 50% Jewish (according to her DNA test) and my Dad is not at all (which clearly shows where my 27% is coming from). But how can I prove that I was born Jewish?
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LeahSeattleMarch 7, 2019

in response to Sam:

If your maternal grandmother was Jewish and you have a little book that documents it, take it to your Rabbi who may have you appear before a Beit Din to make a ruling.
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SamMarch 7, 2019

in response to Leah:

She was, but all the evidence (including books) was destroyed when her family was forced to convert and I have nothing except for my own and my my mother's DNA results
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AnonymousLos AngelesFebruary 28, 2019

I am as Jewish as you can be. However, my mitochondrial DNA indicates that I am not descended from those 4 women that 40% of Ashkenazis come from. I belong to a small group (1.5%) of Ashkenazim who are descendants of a sub-Saharan African woman who lived somewhere between the years 0 and 700. Most of our male ancestors who migrated to Europe married non-Jewish women. DNA is very complicated and we don’t know enough yet to determine who is or is not a Jew.
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LeahSeattleMarch 1, 2019

in response to Anonymous:

That's why we don't determine the status of a Jew by DNA. Jewish Law still dictates that a Jew is a person born of a Jewish mother or a person who converts according to Halacha. A person who converts will not have DNA Evidence.
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DancharlotteMarch 15, 2019

in response to Anonymous:

And where did these 4 woman originate from? Who were their great great grand parents?
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David RankinNew ZealandFebruary 6, 2019

Timu, What you say is absolutely correct, but we need to carefully test everything we are told against the measure of the writings of Moses and the Prophets, holding onto the truth and discarding the rest so that when the unquestionable knowledge of G-d floods the earth it will reinforce what we have learned and not call on us to start and clear out misinformation that we have gathered.
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TimuFebruary 4, 2019

When Moshiach come, the knowledge of Haveyah fill the Earth, as water covers the oceans
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MarkLeicesterJanuary 11, 2019

Like it or not Judaism is a religion and culture, not a race. ~70% of Jewish men are descended from converts; not from Jacob. The only reason autosomal DNA shows all Jews as being related is because of intermarriage. You can only determine a person's religion and culture by their actions. Genetics has nothing to do with it.
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AnonymousUnited StatesJanuary 11, 2019

in response to Mark:

That's not true, where did you get this number? Among pretty much all major Jewish diaspora populations (Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Mizrahi, etc), the Y DNA is overwhelmingly Levantine.

The reason Jews are all so closely related despite living thousands of miles apart for thousands of years is because they're all descended from the same historical population. Intermarriage (with non-Jewish neighbors) would have the exact opposite effect.

And either way, someone's religion and culture are heavily determined by ancestry and descent, not one's own actions.
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AnonymousJanuary 14, 2019

in response to Mark:

This is simply not true and I don't know where you got 70% from.

The vast majority of Jewish Y DNA in all the major diaspora communities is Levantine (Israelite). In terms of direct paternal descent from the historical figure of Jacob, it's impossible to know what his Y DNA was and, if we define a Jew only by that measure, the % would be in the single digits, if even.

The only reason that autosomal DNA shows most Jews (98%) as being closely-related is because these Jews all descend from the same historical source population of Israelites. I don't know what you mean by "intermarriage," but this genetic similarity predates any modern mixing between different Jewish communities.

Jews do not constitute a "race," but they do constitute a distinct people with shared, history, language, culture, and ancestry. The notion that modern Jews are the physical descendants of ancient Jews has been handed down by tradition for thousands of years. And now this has been confirmed by science.
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LeahSeaJanuary 15, 2019

in response to Mark:

Actions have nothing to do with it. Jewish law dictates who is a Jew. Whether or not a person "acts" Jewish, is observant or otherwise does not determine if they are legitimately Jewish. If it did, we'd be inundated with Messianic Christians claiming to be Jews. Regardless of a persons DNA, a person is a Jew if they are born of a Jewish mother or if they convert according to Halacha. That means the child of a woman who converted before giving birth is born Jewish. DNA can show that a person has Jewish ancestry but it does not make them Jewish. Evidence has proven that there is a shared Kohanim marker in Y-DNA of male descendants of Kohen.
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MarkLeicesterJanuary 15, 2019

in response to Anonymous:

Levantine, yes, but not all descended from the same one man. I'm not even sure how an E1b1b Jew like Einstein could have the same MRCA as a J1 Jew or an R1a Ashkenazi Levite. The best we can say is that they all had ancestors who belonged to the same culture and I'm not sure a culture is synonymous with race. No matter what autosomal DNA says. It'd be like claiming there's an American race and then saying it's everyone who lives in the United States. Somewhere in the Jewish population there are individual men who can trace their ancestry directly back to Jacob; just as their are women who can trace their's back to Leah, Rachel, Bilhah and Zilpah. But I don't think they're the majority any more.

Granted my definition of race is based on ancestry rather than a sense of cultural belonging. I think there's a Jewish nation but, to me, nation =/= race. Nothing in that to say Jews aren't entitled to the same rights as other nations. Including the right to a sovereign state.
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AnonymousUnited StatesFebruary 1, 2019

in response to Mark:

Unless you're interpreting the Biblical narrative with extreme literalism, nobody is realistically claiming (from an historical perspective) that all modern Jews are paternally descended from the same man. The vast majority of modern Jews have clear Levantine roots and it's no coincidence that Israel is in the Levant. Jews are a "race" in the sense that they are a distinct ethnic group of common ancestral origin.

I don't think that people directly paternally or maternally descended from the Biblical patriarchs/matriarchs were ever the majority, at least not for the past 3,000 years. Aside from intermarriage with Egyptians and Canaanites, there were many unnamed Hebrews and later Israelites beginning with Abraham and Sarah.

Just because someone isn't directly paternally or maternally descended from someone (as in their father's father's father, etc.) also doesn't mean they're not descended from those people. You're as much descended from your mother's father as your father's.
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Richard Jenkins January 5, 2019

I believe there was a discovery of a Jewish gene in Israel because of the issue of egg donation. Read the article....just google ynetnews.com and Jewish gene.

“Experts on genetics and Jewish law say they found a 'Jewish gene' that could prove one's Jewish roots; researchers have been studying mitochondrial DNA that one receives only from his or her mother, which they say could help establish one's connection to Judaism.”
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Jeanne PeltzMargateJanuary 1, 2019

Nearly a century ago, a wealthy mining magnate, converted to Christianity, so as to receive a British knighthood. After his Jewish wife died, he married a Christian. Although his son had celebrated a Barmitzvah, he was raised as a Christian, denouncing his Jewish roots. The 3rd generation was raised as Christian. The grand son, Nicholas Oppenheimer married a German protestant, Oscilla Lasch. The couple produced a child suffering the Tay-Sachs disease, prevalent only in Jewish genes. Both parents have to pass on this gene. The child's life span is short. The couple have denied the existence of the child. Your genes indicate who you are.
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LeahSeattleJanuary 1, 2019

in response to Jeanne Peltz:

He has the DNA and inherited the disease but he still is not Jewish.
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KenSan FranciscoJanuary 6, 2019

in response to Jeanne Peltz:

"Your genes indicate who you are." That is not a very pretty thing to say, particularly given the set of circumstance. You might as well say, "Disease will find you out." Or, "Your vices will surely destroy you." Or, some other pleasantry.
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When I was a kid, my grandmother, allways spoke of her Jewish parents, but we never understood what she meant. In 2017 I bought a kit from Ancestry.com and it identified me as 7% European Jewish. I am 75 years old.I read your article: Can a DNA test determine Jewish status? and it leads me this question: Having a 7% in my DNA test, is that an indication that Im descendant of the 4 original Jewish women. Do that make me Jewish or Kohen.I have newspaper clippings of my great-grandfather as a vestryman in an Askanazi Sinagog in Jamaica and other information on him.Where do I stand?
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LeahSeattleDecember 31, 2018

in response to Anthony:

If your grandmother spoke of her Jewish parents then chances are strong that you are Jewish. Was it your grandmother on your mothers side? If it was your mother's mother, you are Jewish. You should find a Rabbi in your city and discuss it with him. Do not go to any "messianic rabbis" as they are not legitimate Rabbi's. As for your DNA, it does show Jewish ancestry but having Jewish DNA does not determine Jewish status. You are only a Jew if you are born of a Jewish mother which it sounds like you may have been or if you convert according to Halacha. A Rabbi can put you on the right path.
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AnonymousUnited StatesDecember 31, 2018

in response to Anthony:

If you receive 7% European Jewish on Ancestry, it's very possible your grandmother was Sephardi Jewish. The "European Jewish" category mostly accounts for Ashkenazi ancestry, which is very similar to Sephardi ancestry, but slightly different. I don't know exactly what % "European Jewish" Sephardim usually get in Ancestry, but it's safe to assume at least 25%, maybe higher. So 7% "European Jewish" plus 18% mix of Southern European and Middle Eastern is a sign of Sephardi ancestry.

If your Jewish ancestors were Ashkenazi (as per your great grandfather's role in an Ashkenazi synagogue), then it's more likely your grandmother was half Jewish because companies like Ancestry are very good at detecting Ashkenazi ancestry.

Being a Kohen is passed down from father to son, so it's safe to assume you're not a Kohen. Being Jewish is a complicated identity that's based on ancestry, culture, and religion. Having a Jewish grandparent or great grandparent doesn't make you Jewish.
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AnonymousCamarillo, CA, USADecember 31, 2018

in response to Anthony:

When they give the results as a percentage, that means they were testing a type of DNA that can come from any of your ancestors, so it doesn't make you Jewish or Kohen. A 6-7% result typically means that only one of your 16 great-great-grandparents was the group that they say, so the odds are that it's not the one that matters for being Jewish (maternal grandmother's maternal grandmother), and you are almost certainly not Kohen (your paternal grandfather's paternal grandfather needs to be Kohen, and your mother, paternal grandmother, paternal grandfather's mother, etc., all need to be Jewish).
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Simone FieldsUnited KingdomJanuary 2, 2019

in response to Anthony:

My husband and I did a DNA test with Ancestry UK. I’m 3rd generation British and he is 2nd generation British. We got our results a few weeks ago - his says 100% European Jewish and mine has come back as 99% European. The other 1% is Lithuania.To me that says we just happened to be living in those areas but due to strict religious observance not so long ago, that DNA must go all the way back in an unbroken chain.
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AnonymousJanuary 1, 2019

in response to Anonymous:

Being Jewish has nothing to do with culture. Someone born of a Jewish mother or properly converted is Jewish. In fact, someone can be the offspring of a continual mother-daughter chain and she or he is then Jewish- even if they have no knowledge of anything Jewish. Jews who convert to other religions are also Jewish, although they are rightfully ostracized.
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AnonymousJanuary 7, 2019

in response to Anonymous:

I am confused on "Ancestry (company) are very good at detecting Ashkenazi ancestry" when the company clearly states we determine countries of origin, and not descent such as Ashkenazi; it identifies community ethnicities but not individualized since when showing European; it is most of Europe . How is it possible to determine a "descent" via autosomal DNA (not a specific gene) it requires maternal mitochondrial DNA; this is not on initial testing by these for profit companies?"The Jewish People, however, is not entirely genetically seperable. So no test can give you an unambiguous proof". Ancestry.com
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So, a woman converts to Judaism, she has a daughter who is raised as a Jew, the daughter then has a child who wants to return to his or her grandparents Protestant faith, and you say that the child remains Jewish, no matter what they do?
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AnonymousPHILADELPHIAJanuary 10, 2019

in response to Anonymous:

I'm not entirely sure what you mean, but the maps that accompany Ashkenazi or European Jewish in commercial tests refer to where the populations lived. Genetically, Ashkenazi Jews are closest to Italian and Sephardi Jews, who are mostly Levantine and Mediterranean. Ashkenazim, however, experienced a genetic bottleneck around 1000 years, which makes them more distinct and genetically identifiable.
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MarkLeicesterDecember 30, 2018

Jewish by religion? No. Jewish as in a descendent of Jacob/Israel and his four wives? Tricky, bearing in mind that both paternally and maternally Jewish dna is all over the map.

I mean, how do you go about proving that the 50% of Ashkenazi Levites who carry the markers for the R1a y chromosome haplogroup are as legitimately the descendants of the Patriarchs as the 40 to 50% of non Levite Ashkenazi Jews who carry the markers for one of the two J haplogroups?

What about the 25% of Jews (of all stripes) who belong to haplogroup E1b1b1a? A haplogroup that predates J.
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Carol ShumakerSouth Bend INDecember 31, 2018

in response to Mark:

I don't know the answer to that. But you can prove that they share a heritage and share DNA with other Jews, regardless of which parent it came from. This type of determination is made on the existences of more than 1 marker. I guess I do not understand your query. What about "them".
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AnonymousUnited StatesDecember 31, 2018

in response to Mark:

History is generally more complex than what Biblical genealogies suggest.

The R1a in Ashkenazi Levites is Iranian/West Asian (as opposed to Eastern European, which is what some people assume). There are many ways this may have entered the Ashkenazi gene pool, both in the Levant (and it simply died out among other Jewish groups and became inflated in Ashkenazim due to the population bottleneck) or in the diaspora via Iranian converts.

It is safe to say that these Ashkenazi Levites are not descended from the same individual male ancestor as Levites with haplogroup J, but their Levite identity still might be very ancient and due to variation within ancient Levites are communal affiliations in the Middle Ages.

J1, J2, E1b1b1a, and several other paternal haplogroups are all typical of the Levant, and generally speaking, most Jewish populations share the same or similar paternal haplogroups that suggest common Levantine origin.
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Carol ShumakerSouth Bend INDecember 30, 2018

Your explanation is off. Yes, the father contributes an x or y, and there is no Jewish gene . Ethnicity is determined by a series of gene markers unrelated to the x or y chromosomes. Science is absolute. I need no one's permission to claim my inheritance. It is back to science class for you.
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Oh but it is. The laws of physicists, for example, are absolute. True, matter behaves differently at the quantum level. But even that follows laws.
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AnonymousFebruary 1, 2019

in response to Carol Shumaker:

How can the Laws of Physics be absolute when Einstein is clear and specific that he made his discoveries contradicting the Laws of Physics at that time, by "challenging an axiom" or Law of Newtonian physics?
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AnonymousCamarillo, CA, USAFebruary 3, 2019

in response to Anonymous:

There are absolute laws of physics; we just don't always know exactly what they are. The Newtonian laws were close, close enough for most practical purposes, but they weren't exact. Einstein's theories came closer but weren't perfect either. Physicists in the future may come even closer. We may not be right about exactly what the law is. That doesn't mean that there isn't one.
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AnonymousFebruary 4, 2019

in response to Anonymous:

Absolute laws and science are not compatible, are they? A law, theorem, axiom, etc., is like you said - the best fit explanation we have, at this time - but it is not perfect...so you mean the " absolute" exists somewhere - but is unknowable?Math is probably a better area for absolutes?The DNA thing - are the commercial sites using the whole genome? Or a fraction? Can anyone let me know on that?
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Carol ShumakerSouth Bend INDecember 30, 2018

In regard to your comments about DNA. You are partly correct. There is no "Jewish Gene". Inheritance is determined by a series of genetic markers. Simply put, ones ethnic relationship is determined by the number of markers present. It is not X linked. There are few genes present on the Y chromosome except the gene for hairy ears. These genetic markers can be traced back to their countries of origin. These can also be used to determine family relationships. This is arbitrary and divorced from personal opinion or tradition. In the words of Neil Degrass Tyson.The great thing about scientific theory is that even if you don't believe in it, it's still true. In my case, I also know who my Jewish progenitors are. Yes, they are on my father's side. I do not need the permission of others to claim my heritage. I fear that you do not have the courage to print this rebuttal.
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AnonymousDecember 28, 2018

This article is a very good read, if I can use that phrase. It brings to us the notion that science and faith don't have to be enemies of one another. In our research, often we find that science complements the various elements of the Torah, Prophets, and Writings. Science has grown by leaps and bounds since the discovery and utilization of DNA and testing. We cannot lose sight of this, but I'd like to propose another issue that is not discussed frequently enough. There is a great chasm that exists with regard to a conversation that needs to be seriously discussed concerning Jews of Color. I don't mean the Jews that are in Israel, even though they count, but more-so African American Jews, who are most often erased from the conversation of identity. Jews of Color in America are often looked down upon and treated as though they don't belong due to deep seated racism, and racism that has crept into Judaism. Jews aren't just white, and we need to frame talks to be more inclusive!
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AnonymousUnited StatesJanuary 1, 2019

in response to Anonymous:

This is probably because most African American Jews aren't actually Jews, but Black Hebrew Israelites. Black Hebrew Israelites are part of a racist movement that has no historical or scientific basis, and claims that "white" Jews are not actual Jews.

While there certainly is terrible racism among the majority of Jews (whether or not they themselves identify as "white" is their own decision, not that of others to impose onto them) toward actual African American Jews, whether legitimate converts or children of mixed marriages, there's also a tremendous amount of anti-Semitism in the African American community, some of which is rooted in the deeply racist and deeply offensive Black Hebrew Israelite movement.

Both issues of racism in the Jewish community and anti-Semitism in the African American community must be addressed, but one does not take precedence over the other.
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Jeanne PeltzMargateDecember 28, 2018

Told that if one's blood group is AB then one is classified as Jewish. Cannot be Jewish if blood group is O.Also read that a Jew should not have green eyes or red hair - inherited from the Cossacks who raided the villages and committed rape.
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Neither of these statements is true. Jews can have any blood type, though certain types might have higher frequencies.

And red hair and light eyes are present among Samaritans, who number only 700 and have zero European ancestry. It's more common among Ashkenazi Jews due to northern European admixture, but mostly maternal ancestors. There's very little evidence of substantial Eastern European paternal ancestry.
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ShoshanaGADecember 31, 2018

in response to Jeanne Peltz:

Never heard of blood types having anything to do with it but of haplotypes, like the certain J Cohen haplo group.
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AnonymousJanuary 5, 2019

in response to Jeanne Peltz:

Umm. I don't know who told you, but that is like saying all people with broad shoulders and 6 feet tall are from Vikings.
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saul aptekarmumbaiDecember 28, 2018

A DNA test was done for the Bene Israel Jews in Mumbai, India and it was declared that we are from the tribe of Moshe, the Kohen. But nothing was done after that statement.
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AnonymousCamarillo, CA, USADecember 30, 2018

in response to saul aptekar:

Saul Aptekar's post about "the tribe of Moshe"
Moshe was not a Kohen. Moshe was Levite. His brother (Aaron) was the only Kohen in their generation.
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David RankinNew ZealandDecember 27, 2018

Anonymous Brooklyn and Shmuli Israel, You both mention a recent increase in intermarriage and assimilation. We live in an age which is rapidly drawing to a close, and which will end with all the people of this world having to make a decision, "If the L-rd is G-d. serve him. If Baal is god, serve him." Many people are making their decision now, without realising it.
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David RankinNew ZealandDecember 27, 2018

Magen David, An Rh negative mother can produce Rh positive babies. I had an Rh negative wife and have three Rh positive children. This necessitated some extra concerns during her pregnancy which I cannot accurately recall, which is not surprising as it was over 50 years ago.

Whether there is a connection or not I do not know, but all three of our children were allergic to cow milk. The first was raised on honey and by the time the other two were born we had obtained a goat herd and the other two grew up on goat's milk. All three have grown out of that allergy and are fit and healthy.
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Magen DavidWashington December 30, 2018

in response to David Rankin:

Hey Sir, I can’t find my comment right now, but I thought I had made a similar statement thinking Rh neg moms needed Rhogam to prevent rejection of Rh pos babies.My mom is Rh pos, I’m Rh neg, she didn’t need Rhogam for my birth.Maybe I messed it up, but went something like that ;-)Seems time is a wee bit unfair when trying to remember stuff, I’m lost without my post!
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OscarDecember 30, 2018

in response to David Rankin:

My Mother was AB- and she had 3 Children that survived o+, but 3 pregnancies that ended in miscarriage. There are concerns but not nearly as much as in years past.
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Dennis VazquezWinter Park (Orlando)December 27, 2018

I think it is difficult for the 5 leading direct to consumer DNA testing companies (AncestryDNA, 23andme, Family Tree DNA, MyHeritage DNA and Living DNA) to do extensive research into the 13 Tribes of Israel - supposedly Levites didn't get land in Israel and Jacob/Israel's grandson not son Manassah did - and also who is part Jewish and who isn't and to report those results to those who buy kits from them. I think also the 5 leading DNA testing companies as well as Helix have had some serious problem employees too. Even if those 5 companies could tell everyone the extent of their Jewishness that that might be a problem because the LORD needs our (everyone's) hearts. Thank God for the messiah of the LORD and possibly a new Covenant. But it must be nice to be able to trace ones ancestry back to Jacob/Israel and his sons.
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Magen DavidWashington December 30, 2018

in response to Dennis Vazquez:

Actually, on FTDNA you can create a study group to analyze test results. Though, still nothing is concrete, but gets us closer. DNA is a hard one to understand and interpret correctly. I leave it to the pros to tell me. ;-)
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AnonymousSouth Bend INDecember 31, 2018

in response to Dennis Vazquez:

You assume that people that have other inheritance besides their Jewish inheritance are from one specific tribe, or that all those who are Jewish only reproduce with other members of the same tribe. It is possible that they carry DNA from more than tribe. The argument that I present refers to the validity of Jewish ethnicity/heredity, not the practice of Judaism. It also argues that, in the light of current scientific knowledge and practice, someone who has Jewish DNA from a mother is just as Jewish as one who has DNA from the father. For example, I know the names of the source of my paternal DNA. Also, I claim that there is a series of valid, recognizable DNA markers that confer ethnic identity. I further claim that one does not need permission, or validation from a non scientific source, to claim my ethnic identity. When the Nazis, during WWII, murdered people because they were Jewish they didn't stop and say, 'oh, only your father is a Jew, well never mind then, you can go'.
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